Writer's Month 2019: Moana
by Veritas Found
Summary: Ficlets written in response to the 2019 Writer's Month on Tumblr, in which: Maui thinks it's hard not to believe in soulmates when the gods tattoo yours on your chest.


**Disclaimer: **All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**16 August 2019**

_**Prompt: **__Soulmates (Trope)_

_**Fandom:**__ Moana_

_**Character/Pairing:**__ Maui/Moana_

_**Rating:**__ K Plus / PG / All Ages_

_**Notes:**__ I've never really found the appeal of the Soulmates Trope/AU, but if I'm gonna do it…you're welcome. (Ugh this is short and rushed because today was our welcome back meeting and it was Long and Depressing (topics included: suicide, gangs, child abuse, and bullying – yaaaay public schools!) and I was just Not Feeling It, y'all.)_

"Do you believe in soulmates?"

The question caught him off guard. Moana had been silent for a long time, her gaze locked on the moonlit sea. The question, for how quietly she had spoken, was like a crack in the dark. He chuckled and looked back to the waves, tossing a stone out among the surf.

"What, like two people destined to be together?" he asked. "Preordained by the gods with no control over their lives or choices?"

"Yep," she said, rolling her eyes. "That's exactly what I mean, Maui. So romantic."

"Do you?" he shot back. She visibly bristled. It might have been the breeze, but he was pretty sure she was mad at him. Those were her Angry Eyes.

"Forget it. I should have known you wouldn't take this seriously," she grumbled, kicking at the sand. An uncomfortable silence stretched between them. He sighed and tossed another rock at the sea. A wave rose up to catch it and tossed it back at him. He glared at the giant puddle, which shook towards Moana in a gesture that clearly said _"Well?"_ He didn't know why he was here. Except he did. Because he was trying to be her friend, and tomorrow was a big day, and she'd need him there. At least that's what she'd told him.

He threw the rock back at the wave. It sank back down before the rock could hit it. Coward.

"It's ok if you've got cold feet," he finally said, and she bristled again. Like an angry little porcupine. It was adorable – though he wasn't crazy enough to tell her that. "Everybody does."

"Like you'd know," she said, and she immediately regretted it. She opened her mouth to apologize, but he held up a hand.

"No, I deserved that," he said. "It's true. I've never been married. Never loved anyone enough to want to. Never _been_ loved enough to want to."

She winced at that, too.

"…do you believe in soulmates, Mo?" he asked. She sighed and laid back in the sand.

"I don't know," she said. Her eyes traced the stars, taking in everything and nothing at the same time. "I used to. The gods had plans for everyone, so why wouldn't they plan that, too? It was my destiny to find you. To return Te Fiti's heart. To lead my people back to the sea."

"A personal destiny isn't a soulmate, though," he pointed out, trying to sound nonchalant. He wondered if she even realized her answer was right there, right in front of her.

"I guess I figured…I knew my marriage would end up being political," she said. "I'm the daughter of the chief. Of course it would be. But I had hoped…he's so _boring_. How can the gods intend him for me when I don't even like him?"

"Some people say you grow into love," he said with a shrug.

"Some people say love is instantaneous," she shot back.

"Some people say love is a bratty princess hitting you in the stomach with an oar before trying to tug your ear off," he quipped, and he grinned as she shut up with a gasp. That one got her. He tossed another rock at the sea. "Yeah, I believe in soulmates. It's kind of hard not to when the gods tattoo yours on your chest."

He glanced over at her. Her eyes were wide, staring unblinking at the sky. He was pretty sure she'd stopped breathing.

"Right over your heart," he added, just for good measure. It took her a moment to react, but when she did it was to release a breathy laugh.

"Of course," she said, not sounding quite as flippant as he knew she wanted to. "Mini Maui must be touched. You're so in love with yourself, after all."

He scooted over. Leaned over her, blocking out the sky. So she had no choice but to look at him, to see how serious he was.

"And who did they place next to him?" he asked. Her breathing got shallow again. He took her hand and placed it over his heart – over Mini Mo – just for good measure. "You said it yourself, Mo. Your destiny was to find me."

"Maui…" she breathed. Her fingers flexed against the tattoo, and he smiled at her. "You can't…I'm getting married tomorrow."

"To a guy you can't stand," he pointed out.

"To a guy two islands are expecting me to marry," she huffed.

"Would you have asked me that if you really wanted to marry him?" he asked. She looked away. Duty waged with desire in her eyes. That was the story of her life, though: does she do as her people expect, or does she follow her heart?

He brought her hand to his lips. He brushed a kiss against her knuckles, and her breath caught in her throat as she looked back at him.

"Moana, Chief of Motonui, Savior of the Sea, I am Maui, Sha-" he started, but she snorted and broke into a fit of giggles, and he chuckled as he shushed her. "Shhh, shhh – let me finish!"

"I can't believe you," she laughed, but he swooped down to kiss her, and that shut her up. It was only a quick little peck, but when he pulled back she was grinning at him.

"What came next? Something about how I wasn't your hero?" he asked. She rolled her eyes.

"And you stole another heart," she chided, brushing his hair behind his ear.

"So now you have to board my boat, so we can sail across the sea to put it back," he continued. He paused and rolled his eyes. "No, scratch that. I'm not putting this one back. I think I'm keeping it. So you have to board my boat so we can sail away before they make you marry that idiot."

"The wedding's already planned," she said, shrugging slightly. "I could just marry this idiot instead."

"Nah, I like my plan better," he said, and she shrieked when he jumped up and scooped her over his shoulder. She kicked and pounded her fists against his back, shouting at him to put her down, but he was already running towards the water. Towards where her old canoe was docked. "You can thank me later. You're welcome!"


End file.
